An event for the war weary

SOUL FOOD

I am writing this on A Day, the beginning of an intensive “Shock and

Awe” bombing campaign on Baghdad.

After first anticipating this campaign would lead the way in the

war the U.S. went to Iraq to fight, I am surprised to discover just

how hard I’d been hoping we would be able to do what we went to do

without this.

Now I’m watching the war by remote control in, well, shock and

awe.

I also feel foolish. Because whatever I feel I know it is only a

shadow of what those who are in and under this campaign -- via life,

not via satellite -- feel.

On Thursday I sat for the second time among mothers and fathers,

sons and daughters, fiancees and friends of U.S. soldiers at a

meeting of Military Families Unite at the First Christian Church on

Main Street.

The first meeting of this group two weeks ago felt a whole lot

like a pep rally. Last night, just a day after the start of the war

in Iraq, the air was more somber. Hope and prayer mingled with sorrow

and dread.

Pastor Bruce Templeton prayed for God to extend his “peace that

surpasses all understanding” to guard our hearts and our minds.

In a world at war we yearn for peace. But peace -- peace of heart,

peace of mind, never mind world peace -- can be pretty hard to come

by.

Knowing that, the Church of Religious Science in Huntington Beach,

is hosting “Planet Peace...For Life” on Saturday.

The expo and fair will be a sort of grand finale to “A Season of

Nonviolence,” which the congregation has been observing since Jan.

30. The season focused on the nonviolent teachings of Gandhi, Jesus

Christ and the Rev. Martin Luther King.

The expo and fair is open to everyone, regardless of their faith

or religious practices, and there will be activities to interest both

adults and children to make it a family event.

Peggy Price, who is senior minister at the church, told me, “It

will be a time to learn from one another, to listen, to understand

and to respect our differences.”

She thinks this is imperative.

“If we and our children and our children’s children are to survive

we must put aside our differences and learn to care deeply for one

another -- for the sake of life itself,” Price said.

The day’s activities will focus on what she described as “the

importance of practicing peace in our daily lives.”

Madelyn Fielding will present a workshop called “One-minute

Meditations for People Who Are Too Busy to Meditate.”

She told me, “Peace doesn’t start as nation. It doesn’t start as

the world. It starts with every individual. As we are peaceful with

ourselves, we are then peaceful with others.”

Fielding will teach 15 to 20 meditation techniques that can be

done quickly and easily while doing other things. She describes them

as “ways to enhance the opportunity to be joyful in your life.”

Ned Hartfiel will introduce attendees to Dru Yoga, which he told

me is “about creating peace in oneself and in one’s own life and also

about sharing that peace, that calmness with others.”

The name Dru, he said, is derived from the Sanskrit word for North

Star.

“It’s the star in the sky that doesn’t move,” he said. “It’s

always fixed in a place of calmness pointing toward its true

direction.”

Dru Yoga is designed to teach living that way, staying calm, as

Hartfiel told me, “no matter how the winds blow, whether we are

praised or criticized, whether we have a bad day or good day.” It has

been used in war-torn areas, including Bosnia and Chechnya, to

alleviate post war trauma.

Other workshops, speakers and exhibits will focus on additional

methods of meditation, body movement and exercise.

Susan Collins will present a medicine wheel workshop. Joe McClure

will lead a workshop on Qi Gong.

Jean Krueger, author of “Why the Weight: Dare to Be Great!” will

give a workshop on self-esteem and weight-loss. Speaker Ray Gery will

present his workshop called, “How to Create Peace.”

Some activities, like a bounce house for kids and a clown, will be

there just for the fun of it.

If on Saturday the war has you weary and you are itching to give

peace a chance, you might want to drop in on “Planet Peace...For

Life.” The admission is free.

* MICHELE MARR is a freelance writer from Huntington Beach. She

can be reached at michele@soulfoodfiles.com.